I finally caved into buying this game because of someone was making it look like a lot of fun. I didn’t buy it earlier because I have MvC2 and hated the online and assumed this would be no different.
So since I’m here (sorry if any questions has been asked before.), What are the terms used in MvC and what do they mean? I found out OTG is “off the ground” but idk if that means like a bounce off the ground or hits someone when they are laying flat on the ground.
What’s synergy exactly? I know it has something to do with how well your team works together, but does synergy increase your teams stats or something?
Simple vs. Normal controls? I find simple controls easy to land little combos compared to normal where I cant land jack, I also can’t find some moves I can do on Simple on Normal.
Can someone help me with combos and such in-game? I find learning easier with experience opposed to talking/typing. I have the x-box version at the moment, but I might return it for a PS3 version so I don’t have to worry about running out of Live.
OTGs are anything that hits someone when they’re lying flat on the ground.
Synergy doesn’t increase “team stats,” but a team with good synergy is less disadvantaged upon the loss of a character than poorly-constructed teams.
Stop playing simple controls now. Simple mode will never teach you anything and actually limits what special moves you can execute. You can get used to normal mode without too much difficulty, and it’ll be more worth it in the long run.
Note that combos are actually one of the not-as-important aspects of this game, but if you need combo info check out the individual character subforums.
Thanks <Name> 
I would like to play normal controls, especially since that’s how people do complex combos, but I can’t seem to find the right buttons for Normal combos that I automatically do with simple :c
Special moves are usually done with quarter circle forward + Light, Medium, or Heavy (sometimes S). Others are done with quarter circle back + input. Some require a dragon punch motion (forward, down, down-forward) + input. Others require a half circle + input. If you want to do a super, it’s one of the above motions plus two inputs (L + M or L + H or M + H).
I’d recommend keeping the 360 version over the pS3 version. It’s just plain better (unless you only plan on attending PS3 tournies). Online sucks equally bad for both versions of the game, so I’d definitely recommend playing offline if you can- either with people or in training mode.
Combos aren’t that bad at all. Some characters have super easy combos, some have harder combos. Whatever controller you use, figure out what your light, medium, heavy, and s buttons are. For controller it’s normally
…M…
L…H
…S…
For stick it’s normally
L M H
S A1 A2
Most characters can do the easy combo: L, M, H, S (hold up forward), m, m, h, s, qcf + LM. For example if you have Magneto do this, you get a ground combo, followed by an air continuation, and when you land you get an OTG hyper to finish it. This is called a magic series combo.
Thanks Smoke
What makes the X-box version better then the PS3?
That combo does seem pretty easy to pull off, but to hit L and M on the controller seems harder to do opposed to the arcade controllers I see some people using.
How do I know what strings together on the ground opposed to what strings better in the air?
I also find using assists that can hit on the ground, hard to use at times when the other player is on the ground, like they don’t come out fast enough. I’m going to say that there’s a certain combo I should be doing to make sure they stay on the ground longer or its its in the air to make sure I land on the ground first?
PS3 version of Marvel lags like crazy, especially when there’s a lot of characters and/or projectiles on the screen. Capcom screwed up porting it so bad that the XBox version is gradually becoming tournament-standard. This is true for SFIV as well.
If you don’t want to commit to an arcade stick just yet, I recommend holding the controller using a “claw grip.” Put it on your lap or some other surface use your left hand for the stick or d-pad, and your right hand to use the face buttons and r-triggers. One of the best players in my area uses this technique, and I believe it’s easier on an XBox controller than a PS3. Not sure.
Strings are usually set up in archetypes, and not all characters are the same. This basics thread goes over them pretty thoroughly: Marvel 101: The UMVC3 Basics Thread
Some OTG assists are slower than others, but Wesker b, Sentinel y, C. Viper b and Deadpool b are all really fast and should work in every situation. But for a lot of the assists you have to tailor your combo to ensure that they hit. This might be a little advanced right now, so don’t worry about it too much.
Thanks discov!
Oooooooh, I was just thinking of switching over because even with PS3 lagging online, I wouldn’t have to worry about online disappearing one day, especially since the next-gen consoles coming out.
Hey thanks, I was wondering if there was a certain control style config that would be beneficial to fighting games. Does the arcade stick really that good for fighting games and if I were to buy one, is it only x-box only or can I hook it up to the PS and PC too?
archetypes :o?
I’m trying to be as advances as I can! Whenever I go online to face someone near my rank (first time online) I face a 9th lord. I assume thats a pretty big rank since it has “lord” in the title and the highest rank I fought before was a fighter (which still mopped the floor with me.)
Add me and we can play I’m also a begginer.
@Chukz
X-box or PS?
There are dual-modded sticks like the Qanba eightarc, which is what I use. Nice because people use both systems. They’re relatively inexpensive for arcade sticks.
edit: They are also PC-compatible, forgot to mention.
I guess what I mean by archetypes are different styles of chains. That thread will go over everything thoroughly but the basic chains are:
ABC/Marvel Series - You can chain from L, M, H, S, either standing or crouching, all the way through. However you can’t go from standing to crouching on the same strength, so no stand L, stand M, crouch M, stand H, crouch H, for instance. You can skip buttons in the middle but they might not chain together. Some examples include Captain America, Magneto, Ryu, Akuma, Spencer, Haggar.
Hunter Series - Like Marvel but you can alternate crouching and standing on the same strength. Any Darkstalkers character, Deadpool, Firebrand, Jill, Wolverine, Storm.
2-Hit Limited - You can only go from L to M or L to H. M doesn’t chain into anything but S and command normals. Only Hawkeye, Hulk, and Sentinel have this chain.
3-Hit Alternating - Really similar to the Marvel series, but you can alternate strength of buttons as long as you’re within 3 hits of your chain (aside from L’s which are free). Only Dante and Trish have this chain.
Some characters have quirks with these chains, and almost everyone has command normals that they can chain into in addition to their regular chain. Mess around with everyone and see what works.
9th Lord is the first available Lord rank (lower the number, higher the rank). Rank is not a good indicator of skill; I’ve played High Lords who are godawful and Fighters who have like 80%+ win rates with thousands of games, but don’t play ranked matches. Ranked matches aren’t very good for practicing either; I recommend doing Player Match, but I especially recommend match-making on SRK or another board… like you’re doing now. Carry on, and good luck.
@discov
So the Qanba eightarc works on all systems? Woo!
Them be a lot of archetypes.Though it does explain a lot when some things end up not working for some characters that works for others.
Yeah, quickly discovered any rank can be devastating, fought another beginner with a “oh boy, someone my rank” attitude, couldn’t touch my control and left with a “EVERYTHING’S A LIE!!!” attitude.
I also only do player matches, I learned from other games that ranked = try-hards.
And now I’m just losing every match without me being able to kill one character on the other team…Is this all I’m going to be dealing with?
It’s always good to take a few seconds and figure out why you lost and improve on that knowledge. Match up knowledge comes with time though.
You can also check out character forums and ask questions in the right threads and such. Just gotta keep focused, this game can be grueling sometimes.
@Zx-tole
It’s really hard for me to figure out what I’m doing wrong since this is the first fighting game in a looooong time, especially since I almost never have a chance to click a button on my controls.
Thanks, I’ll give that a try.
If you are on ps3 add:chukz15, I have a long ass thread in the newbie dojo where I expressed the same frustrations, I could give you tips that will make the game much less rage inducive.
360 version is better for offline. Online is shit anyway, but PS3 version is free. If you already have XBL though, then 360 version is a no-brainer IMO.
You don’t have to have an arcade stick to do well or win. A lot of the best players in each fighting game use controller and use it well. Most players will tell you to switch to stick though because in some ways it’s a lot easier than controller. That doesn’t mean it’s for everyone though and that definitely doesn’t mean that you will start playing on a stick and then you’re suddenly better. Most people are worse when they switch to stick, BUT if you’re new to the game anyway, it’s definitely good to learn the game on stick if you were planning on switching later anyway.
There are people who love the game so much that they play a lot. The more they play, the better they become. That doesn’t make them try-hards or anything, it just means that they’ve practiced enough to become good at a game they enjoy. Over time, everyone has the potential to become good at things they enjoy. I’m not gonna say you’re the next Justin Wong/Chris G of Marvel, but you can definitely become a competitive player if you try hard. Marvel’s kinda tough to be honest. I mean it’s not REALLY hard, but if you’re just getting your feet wet, you’re going to lose and you’re going to lose bad. As you get better though, you’ll definitely start noticing a difference where you can kill your opponent’s characters and then finally defeat them. One bit of homework I have for you- watch some high quality streams. You’ll see that even the BEST players in the world (Chris G, Justin Wong, etc.) get perfected. That’s the nature of the beast. Whereas you are upset that you didn’t kill a character, the best players didn’t even land ONE TOUCH on the opponent. So don’t be upset if you lose or how bad you lost, just focus on improving.
@Chukz
That sounds awesome.
@Smoke
I switched over to PS, got my money back for the Xbox version plus an extra 5$ because the PS sold for less Stick does look like it’s easy to use then controller, if only for the fact by the looks of the button placements would be easier for my hands to click opposed to where they are on the controller.
I’m only saying try-hards because of the match ending 10 seconds after it starts, every match. I do enjoy this game, but online is god awful for practicing because of me being bounced off the ground repeatedly and I heard offline is also bad because the computers react to every button you press. I cannot for the life of me, ever see me becoming “MvC online good”. I’ve played some fighters before and I have never been “good”, I get lucky, sometimes constantly, sometimes back to being a noob. This also includes games I enjoy outside of fighters, I get lucky in each and every one of them (Or not at all).
I also don’t know who Justin Wong or Chris G are, but I don’t doubt they got perfected. There’s loads of people that (apparently) can infinite in this game, just a tap will end it.
I try to to get upset when I lose, but when I can’t touch my controller, I find it easier to rage-quit and search for someone else that won’t loop me.
Chris G is the best Marvel 3 player. Justin Wong is who everyone wants to be the best Marvel 3 player.
LOL this was so me last month. My advice is to take your game to the lab, and stay away from online. I still am not proficient with any of my characters, I’m just now practicing Fly/unfly combos with Nova and need to be able to use Spencer. OFFLINE OFFLINE OFFLINE! When you get bored play a fun game. For me it was Terrarria